INSTA FAB'S

This collection consists of portraits of people who are referred to as "Shakhhayeh Instagram" in Persian, meaning " Insta Fab's".

Their fame and reputation only exists within the virtual world and is dependent on their looks and behavior. This fame is vital to their lives as they see no future without Instagram.

This subculture of "Shakhhayeh Instagram" in particular has been on a quest for recognition and all the thrills that come with that fame and quasi-stardom. On this quest, the tools of the journey are sparkly nails, lip gels, poisonous botox, and an assortment of cosmetic surgeries, particularly the ones of the facial kind, as its the only place that can openly be presented in the public here in Iran.

It's interesting that by the end of the journey they all tend to look oddly similar, as though following a single prototype of an exaggerated identity, which seems to be the final mission of this quest.

The special thing about "Shakhyaheh Instagram" is their pursuit for this unconventional beauty. During this project, when we talked to each of them, their reasoning behind these surgeries and unusual aesthetics was resembling people who had already achieved a certain level of recognition; or elevated status.

Their addiction to followers brings with it a path to advertisement, as beauty clinics see their target audience within their pool of followers. Further emphasizing this identity that is so interwoven with Instagram, they become latched to this newly formed identity, which then slowly morphs the society around them.

This project is the process of two photographers, working together for this specific subject matter. We have tried to take pictures without any bias or judgment.

©Ahang Ahmadi and ©Matin jamei